Popular summer wines stand out for their refreshing qualities and versatility with seasonal dishes. Rosé offers light and balanced flavors, perfect for warm weather. Sauvignon Blanc delivers crisp citrus notes, while Chardonnay ranges from rich and buttery to bright and crisp. Pinot Grigio provides a light-bodied and zesty taste, and Riesling, often slightly sweet, pairs well with spicy foods. Light-bodied Grenache suits cooler summer evenings. These wines make ideal choices for the summer season.
The Okanagan Valley’s unique climate allows winemakers to produce exceptional wines comparable to the world’s top regions, while shattering assumptions about its latitude. Local wineries experiment with lesser-known grape varieties and leverage distinct climate variations, discovering which varietals thrive best in this young but flourishing wine region.
Watermark’s Summer Wine Picks For August
The Chardonnay Days Of August
We’re half way through the summer 2024 season and the wineries still have plenty of stock available to all the thirsty travelers discovering the South Okanagan.
Fairview Cellars 2021 Chardonnay
This year has been exceptional for Chardonnay from various wineries here in the south. We are currently featuring the Fairview Cellars 2021 Chardonnay by the glass at 15 Park Bistro. This wine has a rich, bready texture and perfectly balanced oak, enhancing the fruit while adding flavours of toffee, butterscotch and hints of vanilla. The Fairview Cellars 2021 Chardonnay has a lot of character and pairs well with foods usually reserved for reds.
Apricus Cellars 2020 Eclipse Chardonnay
Another standout Chardonnay comes from a winery we have proudly featured before – Apricus Cellars. The 2020 Eclipse Chardonnay is a classic, full-bodied, buttery Chardonnay. With six months in new French Oak, the oak is bold but beautifully balanced. Expect juicy pear flavors with an exceptionally long finish. Apricus Cellars is a must-visit at the District Wine Village and a highlight of our Sip and Stay Package.
Watermark’s Summer Wine Picks For July
Refreshing Wines to Compliment The Okanagan Heat
As we get into our warm summer season, we seek wines that are crisp on a warm Okanagan day. The 2018 Road 13 Sparkling Chenin Blanc and Lakeboat Cellars Pinot Gris are standout summer wines from the South Okanagan, perfect for those who appreciate unique, refreshing flavours.
Lakeboat Cellars 2022 Pinot Gris
Lakeboat Winery in Kaleden, just south of Penticton, produces outstanding wines that are well represented on our list. Lakeboat wines receive rave reviews, from the Chardonnay to the Pinot Noir and the Co-Ferment Syrah, from The Wine Umbrella, whose wine series profits go towards charity. The 2022 Pinot Gris is a crisp wine with flavours of peach, apricot and a hint of green apple. It is a great example of a fruit forward Okanagan Pinot Gris.
2018 Road 13 Sparkling Chenin Blanc
For those who like a nice cool glass of bubbles on the patio, the 2018 Road 13 Sparkling Chenin Blanc is a favourite. For years Road 13 has been making the Sparkling Chenin Blanc and it is well known in the valley among wine aficionados as one of the better and most unique sparkling wines in the valley. The Chenin blanc vines used for this wine are some of the oldest vines in North America. The wine is high in acid which is elegantly balanced with flavours of honey, brioche and green apple. The bubbles offer a good texture and a rich mouthfeel. This wine offers exceptional quality at a reasonable price, revealing why it is a valley favourite.
Watermark’s Summer Wine Picks For June
Unexpected Wine Varietals Selected As Okanagan Summer Favourites
Keeping with the theme of last month’s wine picks, there are so many more interesting wines being produced right here in the Okanagan from grape varietals that many would not expect to find here. These wines continue to showcase the diversity of the Okanagan Valley’s ability to grow grapes. We are proud to feature these unique world class wines at 15 Park Bistro.
Stag’s Hollow 2022 Albariño
A regular favourite is the Stag’s Hollow 2022 Albariño. This varietal is predominantly found in Spain and Portugal but it is doing very well here in the Okanagan. It has lots of acidity and a big flavour of stone fruits, primarily peach, with lemon and lime citrus notes. Like most wines coming from Okanagan Falls, there is a great minerality to the wine in the finish. This wine has enough acid to do well with most foods and can also be enjoyed chilled on the patio. Stag’s Hollow is a family-owned winery, producing some of British Columbia’s highest quality, most distinctive wines.
Blasted Church 2022 Small Blessings Grenache
Another interesting varietal that we are proud to feature at the resort is the Blasted Church 2022 Small Blessings Grenache. There is so little of this Rhone varietal being grown in the Okanagan and almost all of it is being blended into GSM blends. To find a standalone of this varietal in Canada is extremely rare but the winemaker has done a great job making an Okanagan version of this wine. Like all Grenache, it has a big nose of berries but also of leather. If you haven’t smelled a Grenache before, the smell will surprise you as it is a bit more pungent than most wine varieties. When you drink this wine, though, you get the beautiful berry flavours of cherry and raspberries. It is a juicy wine with surprisingly soft tannins for a 2022 and is ready to drink right now, but can also do some time in the bottle. This wine does well with meats, cured or grilled, or can also be enjoyed on its own. Located in the heart of British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, Blasted Church crafts unique wines from historic, thoughtfully-farmed vineyards.
Refreshing Wines for Summer in the Okanagan
As summer’s hot days arrive, refreshing wines become essential. White wines, summer reds, rosés, and sparkling wines are ideal for this season. These wines have high acidity and a lighter body, making them perfect for warm weather. Their fruit-forward profiles suit summer dishes like salads, seafood and grilled vegetables. As days get longer and cravings shift to lighter foods, these wines, with their crisp finish, are perfect for enjoying by the pool or at a picnic.
Discover these featured wines and more on your next visit to 15 Park Bistro, proudly located at Watermark Beach Resort. Browse our menu and book your next dine out experience with us today!
